Connate Support is a Community Interest Company that was created for those families who have a child or children that have been affected by the Teratogenic substances that the mother took whilst pregnant.  The challenges faced by these families are unique, and still little understood, by both the layman and many of the professionals whose path they cross.  A teratogenic syndrome is something that effects the whole family unit.  One of our objectives is to support, offer advocacy and share information.

At Connate Support Community Interest Company, we are willing to share our experience of managing medical, educational, care and support services.  We understand that it is not just the child that it is affected; it is, very much, a family experience.  We know and understand that it is not just the child or adult that will often have to live with the complex needs of a condition that is still not understood or properly accepted. The effects are unique to the individual, whilst carrying the signature of the medication taken. Many often present with global disabilities, often with secondary health problems.  Many medicines are given for an underlying health problem, as well as managing the side effects of the medication taken.  The mother that will often have multiple chronic health problems, living under intolerable stress, often alone, trying to pull together the services that provide her child’s needs.  In some families there is a father that is holding the space, ensuring his family is as well as can be.  The father that stays copes against incredible odds, the pressure placed upon a family unit will often result in a relationship break down.  

We are also here to create an awareness of this situation.  We offer information, talks and run workshops for those that wish to learn more. This is a forgotten group of extraordinary people, coping, often without support, and rarely understood.  The stories that these families share, the burdens they carry need to be heard and understood.  We make it a point to ensure our own ongoing continued professional development.

If you are a family that think your child may have been affected by teratogenic medication, or a professional that wants to know more, feel free to contact us.